Portable hand-held suction device



July 3, 1956 F. K. STORM, JR 2,

PORTABLE HAND-HELD SUCTION DEVICE Filed Nov 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .FEDEE/CK E. 570244, 'J.

INVENTOR.

ArroeNE).

July 3, 1956 F. K. STORM, JR

PORTABLE HAND-HELD SUCTION DEVICE 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Nov 17,1953

IN V EN TOR.

ATTOQNE).

.FEDEQ/C/d K. STORM, IZQ.

United States Patent PORTABLE HAND-HELD SUCTION DEVICE Frederick K. Storm, In, Los Angeles, Calif. Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 392,651

4 Claims. (Cl. 219-39) This invention relates to a portable, compact, lightweight small suction device constructed and arranged to be conveniently held and handled by one hand of a user.

The suction device of this invention fulfills the need for a powerful, efficient small hand-held vacuum or suction cleaning device which may be used for many purposes. One of the primary uses of the device of this invention is that of providing a suction device adapted to be employed on the head and scalp so as to remove dandruff, dead skin tissue, loose hair, foreign matter and the like. It is contemplated that as a scalp cleaning means the device of this invention may be provided with removably attached scalp stimulating accessories for loosening such matter. The device of this invention also contemplates the provision of means for attaching in coaxial alignment a small, compact electrical heating unit which may be carried at one end of the device in such a manner that air drawn into the device may be heated and discharged in a relatively forceful hot air flow for use in drying hair after washing.

While the device is primarily designed and constructed for hair dressing and scalp conditioning purposes, the device may also be used for various other household tasks wherein a small but powerful vacuum cleaning device is beneficial as an aid to cleaning relatively small things. It is contemplated that the device may be used to vacuum a suit of clothes, dress or to clean out remote spaces where ordinary household vacuum cleaning devices cannot be efiiciently used.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to disclose and provide a compact, lightweight relatively small portable suction device adapted to be held in a hand and capable of developing a powerful suction force over a relatively small area.

Another object of this invention is to disclose and provide a portable, light weight, hand-held suction device in which the means for producing the suction is effectively and efficiently arranged.

Another object of this invention is to design and provide a portable, lightweight suction device wherein the several parts of the device are coaxially arranged.

A further object of this invention is to disclose and provide a powerful lightweight portable suction device wherein means are provided for attaching a heating unit thereto for heating air expelled from the device.

The invention contemplates a powerful eflicient handheld portable suction device wherein the air flowing through said device is directed along paths whereby maximum suction is provided and a sufiicient quantity of air is directed against and past the motor means to afford ample cooling thereof.

Still another object of this invention is to disclose a novel construction for mounting a suction device on a stand and for securing the suction device in selected position.

Generally speaking, this invention includes a lightweight, portable, hand-held suction device wherein an elongated cylindrical motor housing is provided with a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs or serrations to facilitate gripping thereof by a hand. The motor housing carries at one end a suction housing which encloses impeller means mounted on a motor shaft which extends thereinto from a motor carried within the motor housing. The opposite end of the motor housing is provided with an end wall having air discharge ports and is provided with means for mounting and electrically connecting a heater unit thereto through which air may be discharged for heating. The various parts of the suction device are compactly and coaxially arranged so as to provide a relatively small conveniently manipulated suction device.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the drawings in which an exemplary embodiment is shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a side view of a suction this invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view of the device shown in Fig. l partly in section, the section being taken along a longitudinally extending plane passing through the axis of the device.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken in the planes indicated by line ill-Ill of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken in the planes indicated by line lV-lV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken in the planes indicated by line VV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken in the planes indicated by line V i-VI of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of a heating unit and one end of the suction device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in longitudinally extending plane passing through the axis of the device and spaced from the section shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the suction device shown in Fig. 1 carried on a mounting stand.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the connection of the mounting stand and suction device.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of the mounting means shown in Fig. 10.

The portable suction device generally indicated at 15 generally comprises a motor housing 16, a suction housing 17 carried at one end of the motor housing and a heating means 18 removably carried at the other end of the motor housing. The outer end of the suction housing 17 may carry suitable attachment such as a scalp stimulating means generally indicated at 19.

The cylindrical elongated motor housing clude a housing portion 21 provided with an external surface including a plurality of longitudinally extending parallel ribs or serrations 22 arranged to provide gripping means for the hand of a user. The housing portion 21 may include an internal shoulder 23 adjacent one end for seating of a cooperable end housing portion 24. The housing portion 24 includes a transverse end wall 25 provided with a plurality of arcuately arranged spaced discharge ports or slots 26.

A motor means 28 may be coaxially mounted within the motor housing 16, said motor means including a motor shaft 29 having One end supported in antifriction bearing means fitted in a bearing recess 32 provided in an in- Wardly extending boss 33 integrally formed with end wall 25. The other end of motor shaft 29 may be supported in antifriction bearing means 34 fitted within a bearing recess 35 formed in a transverse ported end wall 36 integral with housing portion 21. The motor shaft 29 has a shaft extension 37 extending beyond end wall 36 and into suction housing 17. 3

device embodying 16 may in- Impeller means are carried on the motor shaft extension 37 and include a pair of longitudinally spaced impeller members 38. Each impeller member 38 includes a hub 39 keyed to shaft extension 37. A spacing sleeve 40 maintains the impeller members 38 in spaced relation and the assembly of impeller members 38 are secured to shaft extension 37 as by a nut 41.

Each impeller member 38 includes a circular disc-like element 43 dished slightly at its central portion and integrally formed with hub 39. The lower surface of each impeller member 38 is provided with a plurality of spaced depending blades or vanes 44, each blade being of virtually uniform depth and being curved about its longitudinal axis. Each blade 44 extends to the circumference of the disc member 43 and is radially spaced inwardly from the opposite internal surface portion of the suction housing 17 for passage of air.

The suction housing 17 may be of cylindrical form and has an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of housing portion 21 so as to provide a radially inwardly directed step flange 46 at the junction of. housing portion 21 and suction housing 17. The internal surface of suction housing 17 may be provided with a plurality of outwardly progressively enlarged chambers 47, 43 and 49 defining therebetween annular shoulders 50 and 51. Shoulder 51 affords a seat for a stator member 53 which is positioned between the impeller members 38, one impeller member 38 being accommodated within the chamber 47 and the other within the chamber 48. The stator member 53 includes an annular ring portion 54 lying in a plane transverse to the axis of shaft extension 37 and having its circumferential margin seated and secured against the shoulder 50 and the internal surface of the suction housing 17. The annular portion 54 is provided with a central port 55 for flow of air therethrough. Depending from one surface of the annular portion 54 are a plurality of vanes 56 curved along their longitudinal axis. ture of vanes 56 on the stator member 53 is approximately the same as the direction of curvature of the vanes 4-4 on each of the impeller members 38.

Seated and secured against the internal surface of the suction housing 17 in the annular chamber 49 and the annular shoulder 51 may be a transverse wall 57 provided with transversely extending slots 58, said slots 58 being arranged to provide a central opening in wall 57. The annular chamber 49 terminates in an open end 59 for the suction housing 17.

Within the annular chamber 49 and spaced between the open end thereof and end wall 57 may be provided a screen means 60 of any suitable desired mesh size for collecting thereon dandruff, dead scalp tissue, or other particles drawn into the suction housing. As illustrated the screen means 60 is cup shaped and includes a circumferential flange 61 seated against the edge face of ,the suction housing 17.

In the exemplary illustration a scalp stimulating attachment 19 is shown, said attachment comprising a cylindrical wall 64 provided with an annular groove 65 therein to receive the circumferential edge margin of the open end of the suction housing 17. The attachment 19 also includes a transverse wall 66 provided with a plurality of depending prongs or tines 67 adapted to contact and stimulate scalp areas. admit air to the suction housing 17. It is understood various other attachments may be employed.

Means for securing together in assembly the portions of the motor housing 16 and the suction housing 17 may comprise a pair of diametrically positioned inwardly extending lugs 68 provided on the suction housing 17 adjacent to step 46. Each lug 68 is ported to receive a securing bolt 69. Each securing bolt 69 extends through lug 68, through a bore 70 provided in end wall 36 of the motor housing portion 21, through the motor means 28, and into a threaded bore 71 provided in an internal longi- The direction and amount of curva- The wall 66 is ported at 67 to tudinally extending flange 72 formed on housing portion 24. The threaded engagement of the bolt 69 with threaded bore 71 serves to tighten and to draw housing portion 24, housing portion 21, and the suction housing 17 together so that the respective housing portions and suction housing seat tightly against internal shoulders 23 and 73.

It should be noted that each threaded bore 71 is extended to a transverse opening 75 in the wall of housing portion 24. The transverse opening 75 is adapted to receive an adjustable armature brush means 76 which contacts the armature 77 of the motor means 28. Setting of the brush means 76 in proper position may be performed in well-known manner and the brush means 76 may be secured in selected position by a set screw 78 which is threaded in the threaded bore 71 in front of bolt 69.

In Fig. 8 means are shown for mounting the heater means 18 and at the same time providing an electrical connection thereto. The end wall 25 of housing portion 24 may be provided with diammetrically opposite ports 80 each having an interior shoulder 81 formed therein. The shoulder 81 alfords a seat for an insulator ring 82 made of any suitable dielectric material. Above insulator ring 82 and spaced therefrom is provided an insulating ported button 83 of dielectric material. A flanged sleeve 84, positioned with its flange between the insulators 82 and 83, extends downwardly and beyond the inner surface of end wall 25 for electrical connection with an electrical eyelet 85 carried at one end of a lead 86. The eyelet may be secured by a nut 87 threaded on sleeve 84. The lead 86 is electrically connected in suitable manner to the power leads electrically connecting means 28 to an electrical power source.

Each ported insulator 83 and sleeve 84 is adapted to receive 2. prong 88 secured to an annular radially inwardly extending flange 89 provided on the internal surface of a generally cylindrical heater housing 90. Each prong 88 may be electrically connected in well-known manner as at 91 to an electrical resistance unit 92. The resistance unit 92 is supported within heater housing 90, extends thereacross, and may comprise a plurality of spaced high resistance coils of selected wire.

The heater housing includes a slotted grid 94 extending between the flange 89 for passing air delivered from the discharge ports 26 of end wall 25 to the resistance means 92. The opposite end of the heater housing 90 includes a slotted end wall 95 from which heated air may be discharged when the heater means 18 is mounted on the suction device.

The motor means 28 may be electrically connected in well-known manner to a suitable source of electrical power through a cord and socket means. A switch 97 may be provided on the housing portion 24 for starting and stopping the motor means 28.

In operation it will be readily apparent that upon energizing the motor means 28 by throwing the switch 97 to on position, the motor shaft 29 will rotate and the impeller members 38 will be driven at a relatively high rate of speed. Air is sucked through the open end of suction housing 17 through port 67 in the attachment 19 and through the screen means 69. Particles of dead skin, dandruff, and the like which are loosened by the prongs 67 of attachment 19 will be sucked through the port 67 and deposited upon the screen means 60. The air continues to flow through the openings 58 into the first annular chamber 48 where a centrifugal action is imparted to the air by the curved blades 56 on the first impeller member 33. The centrifugally directed air flows through the annular space between suction housing 17 and the impeller member and into the space above the first impeller member 38. The vanes 44 on the stator means direct the air flow radially inwardly and toward the central port of the stator member. The second impeller member 38 acts to draw the air through the central port 55 and again imparts centrifugal flow to the air by reason of blades 56 on the second impeller member 38. Air passing around the circumference of the second impeller member 38 is again directed radially inwardly by stationary blades 100 carried by and depending from end wall 36 of the motor housing portion 21. The blades 100 are curved along their longitudinal axis in the same direction as the blades 44 and 56. These blades 100 direct the air into a plurality of spaced ports 101 which admit air into the motor housing 16 for passage therethrough. Passage of such air through the motor housing serves to cool said motor and to prevent overheating.

In order to facilitate suction of air into the suction housing 17, the step 46 thereof may be provided with a plurality of spaced openings 102 for permitting air to pass externally of the motor housing 16. The area of each opening 102 is predetermined by the amount of air desired to flow through the motor housing.

Air is discharged axially of the motor housing through air discharge port 26 in end wall 25. Thus when the heater unit is not employed, air sucked through the device may be discharged directly to atmosphere.

It should be noted that the circumferential margin of the suction housing 17 may be provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced notches or recesses 103 adapted to admit air to the suction housing in the event the suction housing is directly placed upon a fiat surface in vertical position with the motor running. Such an air source prevents overheating and damage to the motor.

The heating means 18 may be employed when flow of hot air is desired for the purposes of, for example, drying hair after washing. The heating means 18 is conveniently operably connected to the suction device by simply plugging the prongs 88 into the openings provided in the ports 83 until the prongs are received within the sleeve 85 where an electrical connection is made to the line providing current for running the motor. As the resistance means becomes heated, air passing through the heating unit from the discharge ports in the suction device is heated and discharged from the slots 95 in the end wall of the heating unit.

It will thus be readily apparent that the suction device described above provides through the multi-stage impeller means a powerful source of suction. The device is compact, lightweight and may be readily handled in one hand.

When the device is being employed with the heating means 18, it may be desirable to mount the unit on a suitable support or stand so that the heated air may be directed as desired against portions of the head for drying hair. In Figs. 9, and 11 a stand is illustrated wherein the suction device may be readily adjustably mounted and firmly positioned.

The stand 110 may comprise a suitable base member 111 provided with an upstanding pedestal 112. The pedestal 112 is provided with a furcated top defining a central slot 113. Furcations 114 are provided with aligned r openings 115 adapted to receive and journably mount a shaft 116. The shaft 116 carries a circular member 118 which depends from an upwardly curved saddle member 119, the curvature of said saddle corresponding generally to the curvature of the motor housing portion 21. The saddle 119 includes an upstanding pin 120 which is adapted to be received within a bore 121 provided in the motor housing portion 21.

Opening onto slot 113 and disposed therebelow is a recess 122. The recess 122 may be defined by vertical end and side walls and an upwardly inclined bottom wall portion 123. A cylindrical element 124 is positioned within recess 122 between the inclined wall portion 123 and the end of an adjusting screw bolt 125 which threadedly engages as at 126 the pedestal 112.

The suction device is thus readily adjustable to desired position on the support 110 by pivoting the device about the shaft 116. The selected position is maintained by tightening the bolt 125 so that the cylindrical element 124 is urged upwardly on the inclined bottom surface portion 123 and against the circular edge of member 118. The wedging action element .124 as controlled by knob 125 affords a convenient means for locking the suction device in selected inclined position on the support 110.

To increase the flow of air to the heating means, one of the auxiliary air discharge ports 102 in step 46 may be closed by positioning a port 102 over the saddle 119 of the stand. A greater amount of air is thus delivered to the heating means 18.

it is important to note that the coaxial arrangement of the various parts of the suction device provides a compact powerful suction means which is of high efiiciency and effectiveness. In addition air flow into, through and out of suction housing and motor housing is substantially longitudinally of the device and moves freely and virtually unobstructed.

It is also important to note that the motor housing provides a convenient hand hold for manual handling of the device and that the hand hold is at virtually the center of balance of the device.

It is understood that changes may be made which come within the spirit of this invention, and all such changes or modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims are embraced thereby.

I claim:

1. A compact, hand-held, portable suction device comprising in combination: interconnected, coaxially aligned motor housing and suction housing, said motor housing having an air discharge port at one end of the device and said suction housing having an open end for air intake at the other end of the device; a motor mounted within the motor housing and having a shaft extending co-axially into the suction housing, one end of the shaft being positioned adjacent to said open end of the suction housing; impeller means carried by the shaft within the suction housing; a screen means adjacent said open end and said impeller means; and passageway means for passage of air longitudinally through the motor and suction housing; said motor housing being cylindrical and provided with external, hand-hold means thereon for grasping of said device.

2. A suction device as claimed in claim 1 wherein auxiliary air discharge ports are provided adjacent to the interconnection of said motor housing and suction housmg.

3. A suction device as stated in claim 1 including means on said motor housing adjacent said discharge port adapted to removably mount and electrically connect in co-axial relation with said housings a heating means.

4. A compact, hand-held, portable suction device comprising in combination: interconnected, coaxially aligned motor housing and suction housing, said motor housing having an air discharge port at one end of the device and said suction housing having an open end for air intake at the other end of the device; a motor mounted within the motor housing and having a shaft extending coaxially into the suction housing, the end of the shaft being positioned adjacent to said open end of the suction housing; impeller means carried by the shaft within the suction housing; a screen means adjacent said open end and said impeller means; and passageway means for passage of air longitudinally through the motor and suction housing; said motor housing being provided with external hand-hold means intermediate ends of said suction device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,781,542 Engberg et a1 Nov. 11, 1930 1,844,728 Weber Feb. 9, 1932 2,031,391 Spielman Feb. 18, 1936 2,096,023 Albertson Oct. 19, 1937 2,360,155 Nulfer et a1. Oct. 10, 1944 2,668,315 Crosby Feb. 9, 1954 

